McDonald v. Scott

How later courts describe this case

• recognizing that defendant’s drawing had “an inferential bearing 7 on his character for violence, which relates in turn to the question of future dangerousness”
• holding that unadjudicated offenses may be introduced during capital sentencing
• defendant, convicted of capital murder in the course of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, threw woman up against a wall and tried to kiss her after she rebuffed his sexual advances
• prosecutor' s characterization of defendant as " beast" did not warrant reversal, "[ a] lthough prosecutors ought to refrain from [ making such] characterizations"
• prosecutor' s comment alluding to suffering of victim and victim' s family did not appeal to passion or prejudice, as it was based on evidence presented at trial